Ed Turanchik makes Tampa mayoral run official

It's official: Former Hillsborough County Commissioner and rail advocate Ed Turanchik is running for mayor of Tampa. Turanchik announced earlier this month he planned to run. He filed his paperwork late last week with the Supervisor of Elections Office. Turanchik is a developer who pushed for light rail for Hillsborough County nearly 20 years ago. Now he handles community outreach for Florida's high-speed rail project that will connect Tampa to Orlando. City elections are in March. Turanchik joins a field of mayoral candidates that includes former City Council member Bob Buckhorn; council chairman Tom Scott; and Hillsborough County Commissioner Rose Ferlita.

Scott was the first of those candidates to announce his run, filing in May 2009. But according to the latest fundraising reports, he has garnered little financial support, reporting a cash total of about $27,000 as of Oct. 12. Ferlita, who just announced her run in July, reported collecting an impressive $130,880 in her first fundraising quarter. Buckhorn, who announced in May, has collected $113,644 in two reporting quarters.

About the blog

Bay Buzz is your source for Tampa Bay politics news and discussion. Tampa Bay Times writers offer the latest in Tampa Bay politics and government news from Pinellas County, Hillsborough County, Pasco County and Hernando County. Keep in mind: This is a public forum sponsored and maintained by the Tampa Bay Times. When you post comments here, what you say becomes public and could appear in the newspaper.